Myself, i only came to know of Mr. Julious Arnest (Seazer/ Cezar/ シーザー) reading of the ‘60’s scene, cinema, Terayama, etc. So, sought and only previously heard “Kokkyou Junreika” (1973, what was an LP’s worth, subsequently expanded on 5CD+bonusCD) & “Shinto Kumaru” (1978) both on Belle Antique (ベルアンティーク) and rereleased a year ago (in the original, shorter version).

Next week, still being 2008, comes an almost diminutive Jacks 40th Anniversary 2CD+bonusCD set… It’s for the reissue/ remaster list of ‘best of 2008’?!Presented on Nippon Nipper’s ‘SHMCD’ – apparently, it’s SACD except it actually plays on CD players… First two albums “Vacant World” and “Super Session” with alternate single versions tacked on plus “Echoes in the Radio”(non-‘SHMCD’) all previously issued by EMI. But, I think it comes with a poster too.

The label seems to have turned up one previously unreleased track for the Jacks box. A version of 'Vacant World' from the 1967 Yamaha Light Music Contest, that predates the group's recording debut. A bit of a scoop, as there has been a lot of Jacks material released and it was assumed that pretty much everything that could have been released already had been.

The poster is another one of these Disk Union-only special offers, not a part of the box itself.

Well, so long as the Japanese consumer can continue to be convinced to keep on rebuying the same records (in papersleeves, deluxe editions, 24-bit remastered, etc etc), the more likely it is that Japanese labels take an occasional chance on reissuing something odd and interesting.

And even given the current value of the yen, the Jacks set isn't exactly overpriced.

And actually i do have a vague memory of gold-plated Japanese CDs appearing a few years ago...

The 2 EMI albums so rendered would have set one back 5,000 yen alone, not including the single version tracks of the Columbia CD. The 3oth Anniversary issue of the 2 albums + "Echoes" were: 3 x 1,650 yen.

Therefore, this new box set, for the same price is worthwhile even for someone new and not just the Jiyakatsu-otaku who can snap up bonus posters, etc at the Tokyo retailer..